


Becoming Malcolm Anders

by mrs_theirin



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types
Genre: Adopted Children, Adoption, Basically Eden says "ooh that one looks nice" and then adopts him, F/M, Gen, Good clean fun, they really are a chaotic family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-12
Updated: 2020-10-12
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:33:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,491
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26974465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mrs_theirin/pseuds/mrs_theirin
Summary: Pockets, an orphan boy, lives a pretty simple life working at a shop and wooing every girl he comes across. He also tends to get in trouble with the law a lot, but that doesn't really matter when the Viscountess of Kirkwall is suddenly on your side, right?[aka, i'm bad at summaries and Eden Hawke adopts a child]
Relationships: Female Hawke/Varric Tethras, Hawke/Varric Tethras
Comments: 4
Kudos: 13





	1. The Meeting

**Author's Note:**

> told you Pockets was gonna show up again! i've been sitting on this for a while but i've been suddenly struck by extreme motivation so here it is! if you missed Pockets's introduction, be sure to check out the work "Viscount and Viscountess of House Tethras*" first! thanks and enjoy <3

Ragged shoes slammed on the pavement, pebbles flying as the young boy sprinted through the courtyard. The clanging of armor followed him as several guards ran after him, their shouts becoming further and further away. He snickered, sliding up a rooftop to dive into an open window, throwing himself under the bed. Taking a moment to catch his breath, he waited for the sounds of armor to pass, then slid out, fixing his hair before beginning to climb out the window.

“Charming?” a voice called out, and he froze. 

“Lily!” he exclaimed, leaning on the wall, his heart racing. “What’s up?”

“What are you doing in my room?” Her excitement surged, and she rushed forward. “Unless—”

“Nope! Bye!” He fell backwards out of the window, propelling himself from the roof down to the ground below, running when he touched down. The boy was skilled in acrobatics, although nobody could explain how. Nobody taught him anything. 

As he ran past an open door, a hand shot out and grabbed him by his shirt, hauling him inside into the seat of a chair. He started to get up, but a broom whacked him back down. “What in the world do you think you’re doing?”

“Nanny! I was just—”

Nanny glared down at him, her round frame casting a shadow over his thin body. “Don’t answer that. You know where you’re supposed to be.”

“I can’t run the shop today, Nanny!”

“And why is that? It wouldn’t be because you were running from the guards again, would it?”

“Why would I be—”

She scoffed. “Don’t you lie to me, boy.” He cried out as the broom came down on him again, ushering him out of the chair. “Get your uniform on! You’re running the shop whether you like it or not, and if the guards take you, well then good riddance.”

“Oh hush. You know you love me,” he said, dodging another broom swipe.

“I’d love you a lot more in your uniform!” she shouted after him, sighing as he ran out of the room. 

A few moments later, he was in the front of the shop, nervously tapping his finger on the wood. Those guards were bound to come back at any moment. In fact, the clink of armor filled the air as they turned the corner, almost immediately making eye contact with him. He froze.

“Hey—” 

“Good afternoon, kid!” He turned to come face to face with Viscountess Hawke, who was grinning like an idiot. “Hey, don’t I know you?”

“I’m Pockets, Your Grace,” he said, hyper-aware that the guards were still approaching. “You helped me build a kissing booth?”

She chirped. “Ah, right! How old must you be now?”

“15, Your Grace.” Sweat was now traveling down his neck.

“Hmm. Any family?”

He shook his head.

“Viscountess Hawke!” the guard exclaimed. “I’m terribly sorry to disturb you, Your Grace, but this boy—”

“—is my son,” she offered with a smile.

“What?” the guards asked.

“What?” he asked. 

“Oh, is he causing any trouble? Must be in the Hawke genes, you know how it is.”

The first guard stammered to a response. “We caught him stealing—”

“Stealing?” She whipped around to face him. “Were you stealing?”

His heart was pounding in his chest. His eyes shifted back and forth between the guards and the Viscountess quickly, his throat dry. “Yes, Your Grace. Ma’am. Mother. Mama.”

Viscountess Hawke stifled a giggle, then turned back to the guards, her expression sobered. “I’m very sorry for the disruption, Guardsmen. I promise he will be swiftly punished.”

The guards didn’t look like they wanted to let it go, but it seemed like they quickly decided they didn’t want to argue with the Viscountess, and instead dismissed themselves and walked away grumbling. He took a moment to catch his breath, then turned to the Viscountess. She looked at him expectantly. “Thank you,” he muttered.

“Ah, it’s nothing.” She waved her hand. “Stealing isn’t the worst thing you could do. Trust me, I’d know.”

“Your Grace?”

“Hmm?”

He swallowed. “What you did was very kind, but aren’t they going to realize you’re not my mother?”

She fixed him with her striking blue eyes and he shrunk under her gaze. He was starting to get very nervous. Fortunately, Nanny came up behind him, grumbling loudly, “Pockets, so help me, if you had one of your friends pay off—” She stopped in her tracks as her eyes landed on the Viscountess. “Viscountess Hawke!”

She wiggled her fingers. “Hello! How much for the boy here?”

“Excuse me?”

“I’ve decided I want him to be my son. Kid, are you okay with that?”’

His breath caught. “You want to adopt me?”

She winked. “Why not? Unless—”

“Take him,” Nanny said abruptly. “Please. The boy will do much better in your care.”

“I think so too,” she replied, smiling at him again. 

He tried to ignore the rushing noise flowing through his ears. Out of all the ways today could’ve gone, he was not expecting to get adopted by the Viscountess of Kirkwall. He froze as she opened the door to the shop, gesturing for him to join her. “Uh—”

“You have anything to pack?”

“No, not really.”

At this, she finally frowned, casting a judgemental glare in Nanny’s direction, but quickly shook it off. “Alright then. Come on, kid.”

With that, she began to walk away. He glanced between her and Nanny a few times before throwing his apron at Nanny and rushing to catch up with the Viscountess. She smiled when she realized he was following. “Thank you,” he stammered.

“Don’t worry about it, kid. I think I’ll call you Malcolm Anders. Got a problem with that?”

“No, Your Grace.”

She raised her hand. “You’re my kid now. Your Grace isn’t needed anymore. How about just Eden for now, huh? We can move onto Mama or Mother when you’re more comfortable with me.”

Malcolm Anders grinned, his fear slipping away and being replaced with his normal confidence. He felt like a new person. “Okay, Eden. Sounds good.”

She turned to him with a surprised smile. “See? We’re already getting along so well.” 

“Does this mean I get to wear a crown?” he asked, foolishly thinking of a crown fitting poorly around his black, curly hair.

“Oh kid,” she said, wrapping her arm around him. “You’ll get to do and wear whatever you want. In fact, how about we start by getting you some new clothes? Does that sound good?"

And for the first time in his life, Malcolm Anders could truthfully say it did sound good. It sounded really good.


	2. The Arrival

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Varric finds out about Eden's sudden adoption.

Varric stared at his wife. “Excuse me?”

Eden beamed at him, excitement shining in her eyes. He never got tired of that look, truly. “A kid,” she whispered, leaning in close. “You remember the kissing booth kid? Pockets?”

“Pockets?” He chuckled. “Yeah, how could I forget?”

She straightened her posture, chest swelling with pride. “Well he’s Malcolm Anders now and he’s our son.”

Varric reached over to slide his hand into hers. “You never stop being selfless, do you?”

“Oh, believe me, I can be plenty selfish when I want to be,” she teased, before slipping into a more serious tone. “The kid didn’t even have anything to pack. That cruel woman had him working the shop but wasn’t even paying him! That wasn’t right.” Then, seemingly uncomfortable with her sensitivity, she added, “Plus he was in trouble with the guards, so he fits right in here!”

“You do realize we’re going to have to bring him to our events?”

She laughed. “Yes. I can’t wait to see Bran’s face when we tell him.”

“You’re going to send that poor man to an early grave.”

Eden waved her hand. “I wouldn’t toy with him so much if I knew he couldn’t take it. Trust me, he’ll be around our entire lives.”

Varric smiled. “Where’s the kid now?”

“Upstairs, putting away the clothes I bought for him. He has amazing taste!”

A sound clattered in the hallway and they both turned. They exchanged looks, then looked back towards the door. “Come here, kid,” he called.

The door opened slowly and Varric finally got a good look at the kid. Short, curly black hair rested on his head. Warm brown eyes shined in the firelight as he stepped forward, his light tan skin in full view. The kid was short, and looked very nervous. Varric chuckled. “Don’t worry, kid. You’re safe with us.”

“Thank you,” he murmured. “Again. It really does mean a lot to me.”

“Get washed up, okay?” Eden offered. “You can take the longest bath in the world if you’d like.”

Malcolm Anders hurried out at those words, and she turned back towards Varric. “You’re not mad?”

Varric laughed, shaking his head. “Mad? I get to have a family with you. You’ve made me the happiest dwarf in Thedas.”

She rolled her eyes as she gave him a kiss. “Flatterer.”


End file.
